AUDIO: Pryce, Malahoo Forte trade insults at political debate

The People’s National Party’s (PNP) Raymond Pryce and the Jamaica Labour Party’s (JLP) Marlene Malahoo Forte traded insults at the first political debates Saturday night.



It intensified when Pryce objected to a response by Malahoo Forte regarding the Trafigura matter.



Pryce had defended the action of five PNP officials including President Portia Simpson Miller to use the court to avoid being forced to answer questions about the Trafigura donation to the party saying it was their constitutional right to do so.



But Malahoo Forte suggested that the action of the PNP showed that it was paying "lip service" to the fight against corruption.



Pryce retorted: “As a former resident magistrate, to so callously disregard the rules of the court and our constitution is shameless, graceless and vulgar.”



That comment would draw a terse response from the JLP debater: “What Raymond has done demonstrates the old politics of nasty attacks and getting personal and it is so wrong. I know many of you, like me, are just tired of that old politics,” said Malahoo Forte.



Five PNP officials are now in before the court regarding the donation of $31 million to the party in 2006.



The PNP has claimed that it returned the money which it said was a contribution, but the Dutch authorities are probing Trafigura for bribery and wants to question the PNP officials about the donation.



radio@gleanerjm.com